Tag: motivation

What’s inspiring you these days?

The other day, I received the sweetest question from Emily, one of my college business students. She wrote me a note and asked, “What is inspiring you these days?” As soon as I read her words, I felt a spark! The hairs on my arms stood up, and I couldn’t help but break into a big smile. Yes! What a wonderful question. This is exactly the kind of thing we should be asking others—and ourselves.

Dear Emily, my vibrant, thoughtful, and curious student,

I’m excited to answer your question here.

It’s people like you who are inspiring me these days—people who, despite the busyness and heaviness of the world, take the time to slow down, connect deeply, and show genuine interest in others. People who understand that, at the heart of it all, we have each other. People who know that living our best lives means leaning into one another, asking meaningful questions, and ensuring everyone feels valued and heard.

But there’s more that’s been inspiring me lately.

I’ve been feeling inspired by myself. Over the past year, I’ve made significant shifts in my life, and I’m truly enjoying the benefits. I’ve created space to simply be—letting go of overthinking, embracing ease, and trusting the flow of life. I am in awe of myself—constantly curious about who I am in a moment and who I am becoming. Time and again, I’ve shown myself that love and graceful transformation are always within reach, and that truth inspires me.

My relationship with my husband has also deepened, and he inspires me every day. We’ve worked through so much together—animosity, old skeletons, misunderstandings—and now we’re in a season of renewal. I’m excited to see what’s next for us as we continue to build and enjoy our empty-nester life.

And then there are the little things that are actually the big things. Shows like Shrinking and Nobody Wants This have been inspiring me with their heartwarming writing and comedy. They remind me to keep my heart open, laugh more, and sprinkle a bit of lightness into my daily life. My dog, Charlie, and my cat, Nicee, also inspire me in their own ways—perfectly selfish and stubborn, living fully in the moment without holding on to anything.

I’m also inspired by the many beautiful souls in my life who are each making the world a better place in their own unique and meaningful ways: Carlos. Grishma. Kate. Aaron. And many many more. 

And, most of all, I am forever inspired by God and the incredible power of the Universe. Every day, I feel deeply in my bones that, no matter what appears on the surface, love is the only real thing—and love always wins. Knowing that love and light are possible even in the hardest circumstances, and feeling energetically held and loved by God always, inspires me to be an extension of that love and offer light to others.

So, Emily, as you can see, your thoughtful question had a profound impact on me. Thank you sincerely for asking and for giving me this beautiful space to reflect, feel gratitude, and draw inspiration. Your question has had a ripple effect—I’m now going to ask my sacred community reading this newsletter the same thing.

To my beautiful Onwards community:

I invite you to reflect on Emily’s powerful question—What’s inspiring you these days?

If you feel called to share, write me back—it would be a gift to receive your inspirations.

Onwards!

Sincerely,
Dr. Danielle Clark | Psychic Medium
drdanielleclark.com 

PS – Sometimes, when life feels dark and uncertain, it can be hard to stay inspired. During those moments, try using this affirmation to open your heart chakra: Even when positivity and inspiration feel distant, I have the power to keep my heart open and remain curious. I trust that in every moment, no matter the situation, there is space for learning, growth, and love.

PPS – Taking Emily’s question a step further, grab your pen and journal and reflect on other meaningful questions you could ask yourself or others—questions that could spark introspection, creativity, and motivation. Then, consider sharing these impactful questions with your friends and family, or use them for your own personal growth. This practice is a powerful way to deepen your understanding of yourself, others, and the world.

Mind over matter

During All Out intervals, participants exert maximum effort, whether it’s sprinting or tackling a steep incline. Push intervals push participants to challenge themselves without going all out, while Base intervals maintain a comfortable yet challenging pace.

Recently, during one of my workouts, I found myself 20 minutes into the class working through an All Out pace, which, for me that day, meant power walking at an 8% incline with a speed of 3.7. As I was sweating, huffing, and puffing, I kept thinking: I need a break. I’m tired. I’m done. I want to go home.

Then, like a saving grace, the instructor announced that we could transition to Base pace. I grinned, took a sip of water, and wiped the sweat from my brow, focusing on steadying my breathing. Ahhh, I thought. This break is exactly what I needed. I feel much better!

After almost a minute of enjoying my slower Base pace, I glanced at the treadmill. Wait, what? I was still power walking at my All Out 3.7 speed with an 8% incline; I had forgotten to lower my speed and incline.
This moment served as a beautiful reminder of how powerful our mindset is. How we perceive a situation shapes our reality.

This experience has popped into my mind several times since it happened, and it has had me pondering how I can shift my mindset to make perceived challenges seem easier. I encourage you to do the same, as I have no doubt you hold a lot of inner wisdom and insight – and let’s be real, who doesn’t want things to feel a bit easier these days?

For me, I have been more mindful of my mental chatter, especially while doing hard things. Instead of saying things to myself like I’m done, I’ve switched to statements such as This is hard AND I’m here for a reason. I’ve also been better about creating space for gratitude and dedicating my workouts and other hard things to things I care about: God, this workout is for you. I am grateful to be healthy and am celebrating by honoring my body. Thanks to these small but mighty adjustments I’ve noticed I have more peace and stamina, especially at OrangeTheory. 

Write me back if this blog gets you thinking about positive mindset shifts you can make. And be sure to send over any wins you create for yourself as I’d love to congratulate you. 

Onwards!

Sincerely,
Dr. Danielle Clark | Psychic Medium
drdanielleclark.com 


PS – Here is an affirmation to use when you are navigating a challenge, ‘My mind is stronger than any obstacle. What I think is what is.’

PPPS – Do you want more strength to help you overcome a challenge? If so, grab a pen and journal. Close your eyes and imagine yourself facing the challenge. Notice any negative thoughts or doubts that arise.

Next, take a moment to reframe those thoughts into powerful visualizations of success. Picture yourself navigating the challenge with ease, feeling confident and capable every step of the way. See yourself overcoming obstacles effortlessly, fueled by your inner strength and determination.

After visualizing your success, jot down anything that comes to mind – an affirmation to keep you motivated, an empowering image, or a fresh approach to tackle the challenge. Use these insights to propel yourself forward with renewed determination.

Why you need a ‘no’ to get a ‘yes’

I get rejected – a lot. I’d be lying if I told you it doesn’t hurt. Even though I know my worth. Even though I’ve experienced rejection thousands of times: it still stings. When I get a ‘no’ all over again I feel like I’m the last kid left in fifth grade gym class while the jock groans because he has to pick me for his kickball team.

But even though the rejection hurts, I continue to put myself in a position to get rejected again, and again, and again. And here’s why. Without a ‘no’ I’ll never get a ‘yes’. If I don’t play the game, there’s a 0% shot I’ll win – and I want to win. And because I don’t let the discomfort of rejection win, I get to enjoy success.

Here’s a quick look at some of my professional rejections over the last few months:

  • Dozens of journals and magazines rejected my personal essay(s) that I hoped to have published in their respective outlets.
  • I reached out to an author I admire who is a friend of a friend. I was excited for a phone call to ask her some publishing questions (I’m finishing up my memoir on my Dark Night of the Soul experience) and to discuss collaboration opportunities. I never heard back from her.
  • I received several no’s and zero responses to collaboration ideas and podcast pitches; some no’s were even from people I know and have a strong relationship with.

And here’s a quick look at some of my professional successes I’ve had over the last few months:

Without me putting myself out there and risking a bruised ego, I wouldn’t have had the opportunities to celebrate these many successes. 

Remember, nothing worth having comes easy. Go after your dreams and when needed, dust yourself off and try again.

Join me in spreading my messages of breaking judgement habits and strengthening intuition even further: forward this blog to a few family members and friends. The greater the shares, the greater the impact – They can subscribe here.  

Sincerely,
Danielle

PS – Here’s an affirmation to use when you’re feeling nervous about getting rejected, “What’s meant to be is already mine.”

PPS – Are you still uncomfortable with the possibility of getting rejected? If so, grab your pen and journal. Oftentimes, we look at rejection as a bad thing, but sometimes it can be a gift in disguise. Think back to a time you were rejected. Maybe you didn’t get the job you wanted or the cute guy you asked out said no. Although in the moment the rejection hurt, did it redirect you? Did you find an even better job or partner? Jot down as many ‘rejection is redirection’ moments as you can to remind yourself that rejections isn’t all bad.

I listened to my true self

Every morning, I aim to walk 3 miles before I do any computer work. I like walking, I really do, but sometimes keeping active feels like a chore. Lately, the conversation in my head sounds something like this:

The Other Danielle: “You have tons of work to do. Go for a walk later.”

The True Danielle: “Get that blood moving. Take in nature. Clear your mind. You know if you wait you won’t go.”

The Other Danielle: “What’s the point of going for a walk? You’ll need to do more than that if you want to get rid of your extra Covid pounds.”

The True Danielle: “Get your butt outside. You’re walking to reconnect with yourself and the universe. To stay healthy. This is where your best ideas come to you and so what if you have a few extra pounds?”

Last week, I woke up and it was pouring. I’m sure it’s easy to imagine how my two sides handled this conversation:

The Other Danielle: “It’s raining. Here’s your excuse! You don’t have to walk today. Woot woot!”

The True Danielle: “You made a commitment to yourself. You’re not going to melt. Since when do you need excuses?”

The Other Danielle: “But the walk will be sooo boring. I can’t even track my steps or listen to my Audible because my phone is on the fritz and it can’t get wet.”

The True Danielle: “Quit your whining.”

As tempting as the arguments were from The Other Danielle, I listened to my truth-telling, no bull crap self. I laced up my sneakers, left my phone on my desk, and braved the weather.

Ten minutes into my walk, I chuckled to myself. I was having the time of my life. Each droplet of water on my skin made me feel alive. The streets weren’t filled with walkers or cars and so I got a beautiful, solidary ‘It’s just me and the world’ experience. All I could hear were the birds chirping and the squirrels nibbling away at their acorns. And best of all, I didn’t break a promise to myself.

After I showered and powered up the laptop, I produced some of my best work of the week.

How can you tune into your True Self instead of that Other Self trying to derail you?

Did you enjoy this post? You can subscribe here. 

Sincerely,

Danielle

PS – Here’s an affirmation to help you along your ‘I listen to my true self’ journey: “I will trust myself, my intuition and my guidance.”

PPS – To remind you that your True Self and your Other Self are always present in the moment of decision, get out you journal. Here’s a writing prompt: Think back to a time when your True Self overcame the excuses from your Other Self. What positives came from that experience?    

A higher version of YOU

A higher version of YOU

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